HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — After a month of debate and conflicting legal perspectives, a controversial flood mitigation item was passed by the Houston City Council on Wednesday morning.
The approved item will use $30 million flood relief dollars to demolish old and abandoned buildings that are determined to be impacting drainage systems.
PREVIOUS REPORT: City council to approve or deny using $30M in flood relief money to demolish buildings in Houston
“This is a remedy, and it’s a legal remedy. It’s not the way we have done it in the past, but look at what we did in the past and where it got us,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said.
According to the city, there are more than 2,000 buildings approved for demolition. Of that number, 343 could potentially be funded through the new $30 million pot if they meet the criteria set out by public works.
Public works said buildings will automatically qualify if they are located in a 100 or 500-year floodplain, and/or if the property is adjacent to a ditch, channel, or outfall, with the severity of impediment based on runoff impacts or loose debris generated.
A list provided by the city shows districts B, D, and I have the most buildings in the queue for demolition, which predominantly impact Houston’s east side.
Houston Controller Chris Hollins refused to certify the plan to spend flood money for demolition when sent to him in 2025 and advised the council that using the funds this way was illegal because there was no correlation between tearing down buildings and improving drainage concerns.
The city attorney disagreed with that finding and gave council the green light to approve the money.
After the item was approved 9-7 on Wednesday, the controller’s office sent a statement calling the approval “deeply disappointing.”
Councilwoman Amy Peck said during the council meeting that the mayor’s office agreed to develop a policy that will allow the city to put liens on the demolished properties. That lien money would then go back to flood relief. ABC13 will continue checking in with the mayor’s office for updates on the policy.
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